The Popes and Roman Emperors
Jasmyne,Amanda,Autumn
Causes of conflict between the Popes and the Holy Roman Emperors
- The Catholic Church began its own centralization.
- There were a series of reforms aimed at taking control of local religious foundations as churches.
- The emperors and the popes wanted power
- Movements of reform wanted to reduce the power of the kings and nobles
- That movement led to a conflict between Pope Gregory VII and Holy Roman emperor Henry IV
The Aftermath of the conflict
- Pope Gregory VII and Holy Roman emperor Henry IV were weakened by the conflict
- Gregory's successor, Urban II, expanded its aims to include the formation of a great army in service of the Church
- He called on the warriors of Europe to cease fighting with one another
- Instead of fighting with one another, they joined forces to take the Holy Land from the Muslims, who had occupied Jerusalem since the seventh century
- This initiated the Crusades, a series of horrific battles and one of the darkest chapters in the history of Christianity
The popes and the Romans
Sources
- Sizgorich, Tom. "Middle Ages." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 18 Oct. 2013.